Overview of Compilation

Applications

In addition to the development of a compiler, the techniques used in compiler design can be applicable to many problems in computer science.

• Techniques used in lexical analyzer can be used in text editors, information retrieval system and pattern recognition programs.
• Techniques used in a parser can be used in a query processing system such SQL.
• Many software having a complex front-end may need the techniques used in compiler design.
• Most of the techniques used in compiler design can be used in Natural language Processing systems.

Why Language translators?

• Programming languages are used to express ideas to a computer
• Some programming languages are written in natural languages (i.e. English)
• Computer can't understand natural language i.e., it can understand only binary language/ manchine language (0's and 1's)
• To run a program, it must first be translated into a machine form so that it canbe executed by a computer
• This job is done by the language translators
• Language translator is a system software that converts a code from one form of a language to another form of language

Example: Compilers, Interpreters, Assemblers.

Definition of Compiler

• Compiler is a program which takes one language (source program) as input and translates it into an equivalent another language (target program)
• During this process of translation if some errors are encountered, then compiler displays them as error messages. The model of compiler can be represented as follows

Properties of Compiler

When a compiler is built, it should posses the following properties:

• The compiler itself must be bug-free
• It must generate correct machine code
• The generated machine code must run fast
• The compiler itself must run fast(compilation time must be proportional to program size)
• The compiler must be portable(i.e., modular, supporting separate compilation)
• It must give good diagnostics and error messages
• The generated code must work well with existing debuggers
• It must have consistent optimization

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About Data Sciences by Venu

Hi, My name is Venugopala Chary and I'm Currently working as Associate Professor in Reputed Engineerng College, Hyderabad. I have B.Tech and M.tech in regular from JNTU Hyderabad. I have 11 Years of Teaching Experience for both B.Tech and M.Tech Courses.